Early 19th C. Spanish Colonial Petaca

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North America, New Mexico, Spanish Colonial period, ca. late 18th to early 19th century CE. A fine example of a … Read more North America, New Mexico, Spanish Colonial period, ca. late 18th to early 19th century CE. A fine example of a Spanish Colonial petaca (traveling trunk), made of leather with some still-intact cowhide on one side. It features an iron hoop on one side that emerges through a slit in the lid to fasten the lid and trunk together. The leather has a fabulous repeated geometric decoration on all sides, made by overlaying leather bands in a sunburst-like style that was inspired by the Aztecs. Petacas like this one were used throughout the Spanish Empire with some regional stylistic variations. Size: 20" L x 12" W x 14" H (50.8 cm x 30.5 cm x 35.6 cm)

Mary Caroline Montano, in her book "Tradiciones Nuevomexicanas: Hispano Arts and Culture of New Mexico", writes, "Some New Mexican chests were made with leather overlay, an influence of Mexico's Aztec Indians, who called their leather chests "petacas" (derived from the Nahuatl term "petlacalli", indicating the pre-Columbian interwoven strips of cane or palm fiber, and later, cloth and leather). The term is still used in New Mexico and southern Colorado." (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2001, pg. 103).

Provenance: private Glorieta, New Mexico, USA See less